Metroid a First Person Adventure?

Last week IGNcube reported that Retro Studios forthcoming GameCube version of Metroid was a first-person shooter. Since that time new details have emerged from sources at Nintendo of America that tell a slightly different story. It seems the game is, in fact, a First Person Adventure. Confused? Let us explain the subtle, but important separations beginning with a summarized history of the game's often altered design.

Last year Retro Studios started work on a third-person action adventure starring a voluptuous beauty. The game, described by one anonymous source as "something out of the Danger Girl series," was changed to a first-person shooter at some point during design because it was simply too ambitious. Because so many of Retro's designers had worked previously with first-person shooters, it was decided that the title would transform to the genre as it would save time and would be easier to realize. Around this point, Nintendo stepped in and offered the firm its valuable Metroid license. Retro accepted, and began adapting the title to make use of Samus' eerie universe. Internal conflicts regarding whether the game should be a third- or first-person title led to the resignation of Metroid's former project leader. Input from Nintendo's own Shigeru Miyamoto, who has long felt that third-person action titles cannot be executed properly in 3D, helped solidify Metroid's genre change to first-person point of view. Shortly after the dust settled, the title progressed rapidly forward. Now, after recent layoffs and group restructuring, the Metroid project has a bigger team than ever before -- 11 programmers, three designers, and a wealth of talented artists. This brings us up to date on what's happening.

Except, Metroid isn't exactly what many readers think. It's not a shooter so much, say sources, as it is an adventure in first-person view -- an FPA if you will -- and not entirely at that either. Retro Studios is working to retain the true feeling of the Metroid license in first-person 3D. That means that the main character will still have the abilities that Samus remains famous for -- everything from the option to upgrade armor and weaponry to special attacks, spins, rolls, grappling hook features, and more. The game's design allows for an optional third-person view to take advantage of these features when the situation calls for it. It is believed that the third-person view is not something that can be toggled by the player, but rather is executed automatically depending on the area and task in the game.

Retro has allegedly been devoting a good amount of its programming resources to creating a balanced level of primary first-person adventure play and third-person camera mechanics where necessary. It is an ambitious endeavor, the possible upstart of a branched out genre, and if it's a successful attempt it's bound to be copied by others in the future.

"I think [the Metroid team] has a good chance of skipping by some of the pitfalls of the FPS genre," a source told us under the condition of anonymity. "They've got some really innovative ideas for jumping, targeting, movement, and camera."

Despite recent layoffs, moral for the project seems very high. "They have folks who've worked on Half-Life and the Turok series among others on that design team," relayed the source. "Consumers will just need to keep an open mind. If so they may be pleasantly surprised in the way that GoldenEye came along and shattered expectations for FPS console games."

The game will be shown for the first time at the coming Electronics Entertainment Expo.